Free Web NovelChapter 11: A Wife’s First Step
Aurielle POV:
"Here."
I handed Elena over to my maid, Margaret.
Margaret carefully took the exhausted Light Mage into her arms and gave us a mysterious smile before walking away.
I watched her leave and frowned slightly.
"What’s with her?"
Shaking my head, I led Luke toward the dining hall.
The evening sun was slowly setting beyond the mountains of Blackstone Highlands. Golden light filtered through the mansion windows, casting long shadows across the stone corridors.
When we entered the dining hall, a large table had already been prepared.
Fresh bread.
Roasted meat.
Vegetable stew.
Several bottles of wine.
The maids quickly served the food before quietly leaving the room.
CLATTER.
CLINK.
Only the sound of forks and knives colliding with plates echoed through the hall.
I glanced toward Luke.
Surprisingly, he was quiet.
Far quieter than usual.
Normally he would already be talking endlessly.
"What’s wrong?"
I asked.
Luke looked up, slightly startled.
A small smile appeared on my lips.
Even after everything that had happened today, he was still easy to read.
"Nothing."
He paused while drinking his soup before continuing to eat.
I hesitated for a moment.
Then gathered my courage.
"...Thank you for everything."
Luke froze again.
Then a warm smile appeared on his face.
"I already told you."
He pointed at himself proudly.
"I’m your husband."
"So you don’t need to worry about anything."
His words caused me to lower my gaze.
Husband.
The word felt unfamiliar...
Strange.
I looked toward Luke.
He was happily eating another piece of meat without a care in the world.
"And now I have one."
A bitter smile appeared on my face.
I never liked that word.
My father had never treated my mother well.
The image of my mother’s lonely expression flashed through my mind. freewebnovel.cσ๓
"I am just afraid..."
"If I trust the word husband..."
"...then I might suffer the same fate Mother did."
My fingers slowly tightened beneath the table.
"So I will never trust that word."
I hardened my resolve.
Then—
"Here. Say ahh."
I blinked.
Luke was extending his fork toward me.
A piece of roasted meat rested on top.
"It’s really tasty."
"You should try it."
He smiled brightly.
For a moment, I simply stared at him.
Then I reluctantly leaned forward.
Nom.
The meat disappeared from the fork.
As I slowly chewed, my clenched fist gradually relaxed.
Luke looked at me expectantly.
"Well?"
A faint smile appeared on my face.
"...Yeah. It’s good."
His face immediately brightened.
For some reason, seeing him happy made me feel a little lighter as well.
"Maybe..."
"I can trust him a little."
After dinner, Luke returned to his room.
We were still sleeping separately.
"I still have some work to finish."
I let out a tired sigh before heading toward my office.
CREEAK.
The office door opened.
Margaret was still standing beside my chair.
"You should get some sleep too, Margaret."
I sat down and immediately started signing documents.
The pile of paperwork seemed endless.
But only a few moments later—
"Was today fun?"
I paused.
Confused, I looked up.
Margaret was smiling.
"Did you enjoy your little date with your husband?"
My face instantly became slightly red.
"It was... fine."
I lowered my head and returned to my work.
Unfortunately, Margaret had no intention of stopping.
"You should show some reaction to his feelings, My Lady."
"After all, he is your husband."
My pen paused briefly.
Then continued moving again.
Margaret pretended not to notice.
"My Lady..."
"Your mother was always worried about your future husband."
"And so am I."
After saying that, she reached into her spatial ring.
A silky purple nightgown appeared in her hands.
"Here."
"You should sleep together."
"And wear this as well."
The moment I saw what she was holding, my face turned completely red.
"Margaret!"
"What are you doing?!"
Margaret merely sighed.
"My Lady, this belonged to your mother."
My expression softened.
She continued quietly.
"But she never got the chance to wear it."
"Before everything happened..."
"...she asked me to give it to you one day."
My heart tightened slightly.
Mother.
I looked away.
"Margaret."
"Luke is only my husband in name."
I paused.
Then continued.
"So you should stop thinking something will happen between us."
After saying that, I returned to my work.
Margaret remained silent for several seconds.
Then—
"My Lady."
"You have four competitors."
My pen stopped moving.
"If they win Master Luke’s heart..."
"...then perhaps he will leave you completely."
My hand froze.
Luke will leave me?
Images immediately appeared in my mind.
His smile.
The way he called me his wife.
The anger in his eyes when other men looked at me.
The way he stood beside me without hesitation.
Would all of that disappear?
"...Will everything be gone?"
The words escaped my mouth before I realized it.
Margaret looked at me gently.
"Yes."
"That is why I have to do this."
Before I could even protest—
Margaret forcefully made me put on the nightgown.
Then she wrapped a coat around my shoulders to cover it.
By the time I realized what was happening—
I was already standing outside the office.
SLAM.
The door closed behind me.
"You will be sleeping in your husband’s room tonight."
Margaret’s final words echoed through the hallway.
"...Sigh."
I let out a long breath.
The mansion had already become quiet.
Moonlight shone through the corridor windows, illuminating the stone floor with a pale silver glow.
"Looks like everyone is asleep."
I muttered.
Slowly, I began walking toward Luke’s room.
My footsteps echoed softly through the empty hallway.
After several minutes, I finally arrived outside his door.
For some reason, my heartbeat increased slightly.
Then I remembered the way he had stared at those women breast earlier.
"Hmph."
I looked down at myself.
A small victorious smile appeared on my lips.
Without knocking—
I opened the door.
The moment I entered, Luke’s gaze turned toward me.
Then he froze.
Completely.
A satisfied smile appeared on my face.
"Yeah..."
"That’s more like it."
Slowly, I stepped inside.
---
Luke pov:
As Aurielle entered the dimly lit room, her presence alone was a potent invitation, wrapped in the alluring silk of a purple nightgown that clung to her every curve.
Each deliberate step was a study in seduction, her breasts swaying gently with the movement, her hips tracing a mesmerizing, rhythmic arc that stole the air from my lungs.
My throat constricted, a discernible gulp escaping me as I watched, utterly captivated.
Before I could even formulate a question, she gracefully settled onto the bed beside me, the soft mattress dipping slightly under her weight.
My eyes traced the elegant line of her back, from her perfectly sculpted waist to the inviting swell of her hips, then down to the pale, tempting expanse of her thighs, each curve a silent plea for my touch.
"Control, Luke, control yourself"
I silently pleaded, wrestling with the potent surge of desire that threatened to overwhelm me.
Through sheer force of will, I managed to voice a question, my voice a little rougher than intended.
"Aurielle, why are you here?"
She turned swiftly, her gaze piercing me with an unexpected flash of anger.
"Why? Do you have a problem with a wife sleeping with her husband?"
Her sharp retort, meant to clarify, only plunged me deeper into a confusion, her indignation somehow adding an even more captivating edge to her beauty.
As our eyes locked, the intensity was palpable, until she abruptly averted her face, a subtle blush perhaps coloring her cheeks.
But by then, a primal fire had ignited deep within me, an irresistible pull I knew I could no longer deny.
Slowly, deliberately, I shifted my weight, settling closer beside her.
My gaze fell upon the delicate curve of her neck, the soft skin just beneath her ear, and an undeniable urge to kiss her took over.
Without conscious thought, I found myself moving, my hands gently encircling her waist.
A faint shiver ran through her at my touch, but she remained, a silent acceptance.
The contact sent a jolt through me, leaving my mouth parched and an undeniable, insistent pressure growing within my pants.
[Chapter End]
